Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus Staff Steal England Shirts and Underwear

England has been freshly humiliated after being knocked out of the World Cup by Germany, with reports of theft just emerging. Last week, before the Germany game, the players’ underwear, football shirts and a medal were stolen by Royal Bafokeng Sport Campus staff. Among those whose items were stolen were Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney.

The players complained to FA security staff, who were suppose to be guarding them, as well as their possessions while they visited South Africa for the world tournament. Then the police were called and CCTV showed the hotel’s cleaners carrying bags full of items from the £1,000 per night suites rented by the players.

Authorities arrested a woman and 4 men for the theft of about £7,000 world of nicked gear, which was found in their homes. Among the items found was £485 in money, designer clothes (including socks), a gold medal belonging to one of the players, who hasn’t been identified, and souvenirs. Colonel Junior Metsi, the spokeswoman for the police, said that the robbers were taking anything they could get, which included underwear.

The hotel cleaners were questioned while England left the hotel to go to Bloemfontein on Sunday for the Germany match. The 5 thieves appeared in court only hours after the team was defeated. They all admitted to the crime and were jailed for 3 years and fined £530, which is about the same as a year of wages for some domestic workers.

England got their stuff back before they boarded an aircraft back home. The FA commented on the matter, saying only that it is for the police and hotel to work out.